Chappa'ai
by Ryan Brooklyn
Summary: The entire movie of Stargate seen through the eyes of the Abydonians. No OCs, aside for a few random Abydonians that could have been in the movie and just had no speaking parts, and no AU.
1. The Strangers Come

**A/N: Considering I do not have the entire movie memorized, I'm taking most of the words from a transcript found on the StargateWiki. References will be made to my oneshot "Wishing on a Pebble" so you might want to go check that out first to avoid confusion.**

**As many of you know, "Chappa'ai" is the word for "Stargate." And as ya'll probably know too I am not fluent in Abydonian, therefore I'll only be guessing at what they are saying in their native tongue when translations were not provided for us in the subtitles.**

**N.B. the Anubis in this story is not Lord Anubis from Season 5+ of SG-1. In the original movie Ra's right-hand man was named Anubis for some strange, unknown reason. That is the man to whom I am referring.**

**Disclaimer: **_(in Teal'c's impressive voice) __I am afraid I must admit that I do not have ownership of the Stargate nor any of the members of the SGC. The members of the tribe on Abydos do not belong to me either. And the events that take place in this story are not of my own invention. I would thank you to remember this._

**Genre:** Action/Adventure/Drama/Romance/Sci-Fi

**Rating:** PG-13

**Summary: **The entire movie of Stargate seen through the eyes of the Abydonians. No OCs, aside for a few random Abydonians that could have been in the movie and just had no speaking parts, and no AU.

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**Chappa'ai**

**Chapter 1:**

**The Strangers Come**

Skaara awoke that morning with sore muscles. Normally he was used to the hard labor of working at the mines, but the previous day had been filled with much heavier work than he usually performed. He sat up and stretched his arms above his head, groaning with the effort. He then shook his head and stood up, shuffling into the kitchen where his sister Sha'uri was making breakfast. He leaned in the doorway and watched her for a moment with a soft smile on her face.

Eventually she felt his gaze and looked up, matching his smile with one of her own.

"Sha'uri," he said softly, knowing there were others in the house who were still asleep. "Good morning."

"Good morning, Skaara," she replied. "Breakfast shall be ready soon. Will you wake Father?" She turned from him in order to pour the meal into the bowls scattered about the stone table. Skaara nodded at her request and hurried off to do her bidding.

He returned only a short time later saying that their father was outside praying to the gods for a successful day at the mines and the others that lived in the room next to them were stirring and would soon be awake. Sha'uri nodded at the news; it was the same as it always was. The routine rarely changed.

Skaara watched as his sister arranged the bowls onto the table. He chewed on his bottom lip for a moment before approaching her and kneeling beside her.

"Sha'uri." He spoke gently, not for the sake of silence, but for the secrecy of his words. "I do not like the way Anubis watches you when Our Blessed Lord Ra visits to survey our work." He spoke as one with a bad taste in his mouth.

Sha'uri smiled sadly. "It is his way. If you remember, I am pledged to be given to him very soon." She glanced out the window at the sky. "Unless an ambassador from Our Lord Ra comes to claim me instead."

Skaara followed her gaze, remembering well the evening he had given her the opportunity to wish away her fate. So far her wish had not come true. He gritted his teeth when he turned back to her, an intense frown on his tan, youthful face.

"If he does again I will kill him," he declared. Sha'uri gasped and took his arm instinctively.

"Skaara, you shouldn't say such things!" She glanced around them worriedly, as though afraid someone had heard him. "Men have been killed for less than that," she whispered to him urgently.

His frown faded and he dropped his head, ashamed. "I am sorry sister," he said quietly. "I will not speak of it again."

Sha'uri nodded in satisfaction and then stood swiftly when fellow Abydonian workers entered the room and sat down to eat. Skaara withdrew and took up his own bowl, eating the meal methodically, his taste buds not favoring the bland taste at all. It was the quickest, easiest food to make and procured enough for many people to eat and be satisfied. The animals that they caught in the desert were few and far between and they often saved those for sacrifices or special occasions.

Once he finished, he quickly went outside, wanting to catch Nabeh before everyone left for the mines. He found him outside with several of the other boys. A few younger ones had his ball and were tossing it back and forth over Nabeh's head, laughing at the poor young man as he walked back and forth trying to get it back. Skaara shook his head and hurried over, frowning as he grabbed one of the boys and shook him.

"Na-ney!" he said harshly. "Give it back to him Baku!"

The boy looked sullen but handed the ball back to Nabeh. He and the other boys then dispersed, grumbling to themselves over the interruption. Nabeh held the ball and looked it over, as if making sure it was still intact. He then looked up and gave Skaara a large grin. Skaara felt his face relax into a smile. He reached over and patted his friend on the back.

He knew Nabeh was slower than most of the other boys. He was born on the same day Lord Ra arrived to inspect their work. Lord Ra had not been pleased with their progress and many believed he cursed the infant. They looked on the boy with pity but rarely exercised much patience with him. Skaara was really the only one who did spend time with him. He had known the boy since they were young and had more patience with him than anyone. The boys who followed Skaara all knew that they treated Nabeh as an equal or they themselves were ignored by their most admired peer.

Sometimes he wondered why he put up with the monkey-faced boy. There were times when his long-suffering patience lost and his temper flared, but such times were very few and almost immediately overlooked. Nabeh always forgave his friend, and grinned that wide, untroubled grin. Skaara had to admit that he could never stay angry for long when his friend gave that grin.

Right now that grin had lifted his spirits immensely. He nudged his friend's arm and gestured to the large gates of the city where many Abydonians were making their way.

"Have you eaten?" he asked Nabeh, who nodded vigorously.

"Sha'uri's good cook," Nabeh said, rubbing his stomach and continuing to grin. Skaara grinned back and began to make his way toward the gate with the others. Nabeh hurried to catch up with him, placing the small ball into the small pouch in his cloak. He held the fabric close to himself and watched the small boys running around warily. Skaara could not help chuckling softly.

He felt a hand on his arm and turned to find himself looking into the pale eyes of his sister. Her face held an expression of intense thought and she was looking up at the sky. He followed her gaze.

"It still shines, my brother," she said softly, pointing to a star that still burned even in the fading darkness. Their star: the pebble star. She looked at him with eyes radiant with an inner light. "It is a sign, Skaara. Perhaps today I shall meet the man who is to be my husband."

Skaara gave her a small smile. He did not want to discourage her, but he knew it was unlikely for her wish to become true. She was now of the marriageable age and the next time Lord Ra came to inspect their work, Anubis was expected to come and take her.

"Perhaps, my sister," he said softly, glancing at the star. "Perhaps."

It was a couple miles before they began to see the naquadah pillars. Sha'uri felt her spirits fall as they grew nearer. It was another day of working, another day in the hot sun, another day of backs aching, foreheads perspiring, and hands blistering. Sometimes it seemed as though it would never cease. The end of the day never came soon enough.

She adjusted her head covering and gave Skaara's arm a light squeeze before moving over to where the women were branching off to start their duties. The men continued on to the pillars, tools in hand. Sha'uri was greeted by several other women and she smiled at them, although it was clear she was distracted by something. A few of the younger women spoke in laughter about her upcoming marriage. Her face flushed and she turned away, picking up her basket and beginning to shift the naquadah, extracting only the purest samples. She glanced up as the men passed. She met Skaara's gaze but he looked away before she could call out to him. Sighing, she turned back to her work.

Skaara felt Nabeh's elbow make contact with his ribs sharply. He glanced at his friend and nudged him back.

"What is it?" he asked as he was accidentally jostled from behind. He turned and saw several of his eager young followers grinning at him. He could not help smiling slightly. He felt a tug on his cloak and looked down to see a small child looking up at him.

"May I work beside you, Skaara?" he asked. It was Rak'ka, Baku's youngest brother. Skaara stopped and put his hands on his knees in order to look the young one in the eye.

"You want to work with us?" he asked, his lips upturned in a small smile. The youngster nodded vigorously and Skaara laughed and ruffled Rak'ka's hair. "Then you shall," he declared and promptly handed him over to Opitu. The boy of twelve winters looked surprised and almost protested, but one look from his leader and he closed his mouth.

Skaara nodded, satisfied with the arrangement, and took Nabeh's elbow, leading him forward to make sure they would be mining the same block. Thus the morning and afternoon passed.

It was in the late afternoon when Sha'uri noticed the three figures on the dune. She straightened slowly and shielded her eyes, but still all she could see was three black dots. She had seen Skaara pass by her several minutes ago and wondered if he had seen them too.

Suddenly someone called out "Over there! Look!" Others were starting to notice them too. Skaara's strong voice could be heard echoing over the others.

"Over there. Look! Look! Look! Come here!" He was beckoning now to the others to come and observe the figures. From where he stood he could see that they were men. Three of them stood on the peak of a sand dune. There was some movement between them and a fourth man appeared. They slowly began making their way down to the mining camp. Skaara walked forward hesitantly, curious as to who these men were and what they wanted.

The other Abydonians had ceased their work. Silence descended on the crowd and Skaara found he was the only one moving. However this did not stop him and he continued on until he stood at the very edge of the crowd. The three men were close now. They were carrying black objects that looked like a form of weapon. A stray mastadge came up behind them but no one went over to tie it back down. From her vantage point, Sha'uri watched the proceedings closely.

The men began talking amongst themselves in a language Skaara could not understand. One of the men, with clear circles of what appeared to be glass sitting in front of his eyes, moved forward and lifted a hand to Tu'ru, saying something. The sun glinted off a necklace of gold that hung around the man's neck. Tu'ru looked closer and his eyes widened.

"The Eye of Ra," he murmured then turned to the others, lifting a hand and shouting, "the Eye of Ra!" After he was sure everyone had heard him, he lowered himself prostrate before the man, forehead touching the ground.

Instantly Skaara realized what was happening and knelt as well, the others around him following suit. From where she stood, Sha'uri watched as all the workers began to fall to the ground in a wave. She realized the men must have been sent by Lord Ra. She gave small gasp and lowered herself as well. She did not have to look behind her to know that all the Abydonians were on their faces before the messengers of Ra.

Skaara heard the four men speaking together and one of them seemed to be upset. He heard footsteps coming toward him and could not help but look up to see. He caught sight of a strange green fabric covering the legs of a tall man. He saw the face of the man only briefly before he remembered his place and lowered his forehead to the ground quickly, hoping he would not be punished for his insolence. He shut his eyes tightly and waited for the blows to fall.

None came; instead he heard the man speaking in a soft voice, reaching out his hand and gesturing for him to rise up. Skaara did so tentatively, his face a mask of worry and anxiety. He watched the man closely as he reached out and took Skaara's hand in his own. Tensing as the man slowly moved his arm up and down, he began to tremble inwardly and wondered if it was a new form of torture.

The man released his hand and backed up slightly, looking at him expectantly. Skaara knew he had done something to him then. Giving a great cry of terror, he scrambled to his feet and began running through the crowd of bowing Abydonians, calling for his father.

Sha'uri stood as she watched her brother run past. She glanced at the strangers then to where her brother was fleeing and suddenly ran after him. She caught him just as he was grabbing Nabeh's arm.

"Skaara, what is happening?" she asked.

"Strangers! Messengers from the gods!" Skaara gasped and Nabeh's eyes grew wide even as Sha'uri suddenly looked hopeful.

"Men?" she asked, wondering if it was possible for her future husband to be among them.

Skaara looked at her as if she had grown two heads spontaneously. "Yes, yes," he said dismissively, still very agitated. "But we must tell father!"

Just then Kasuf approached his son and daughter from behind. "What is this I hear of ambassadors from Our Lord Ra?"

"It is true, Father," Skaara said. "You must come and see!"

Kasuf nodded and ordered a mastadge brought to him immediately. Skaara shook Sha'uri's hand off of his arm as he grabbed Nabeh and hurried up to help his father mount the large creature. Then he urged them forward, a crowd of curious followers beginning to join them as they proceeded across the sand.

"One bore the Eye of Ra," Skaara explained to his father and grabbed Nabeh's shoulder. "Look! See!" He pointed to where the four men stood.

"Na-ney!" Kasuf ordered when they drew close. He pulled back the curtains surrounding his chair and dismounted the mastadge. One of the Abydonian workers handed him his staff, which showed his high position. Skaara was close behind his father as they made their way toward the strangers.

"See Father, the Eye," Skaara murmured to Kasuf. He nodded.

"I see, my son," the tribe leader replied. He turned to the men. "Messengers from Our Lord Ra, I am Kasuf and I welcome you to my tribe." He held out his staff horizontally in front of him as he bowed, as a peace gesture so the men would know they meant to serve them.

The man with the strange circles spoke to the one who had taken Skaara's hand. Kasuf realized he could not understand them and became nervous. How was he to communicate their successes if he did not speak this new language of the gods? He turned and commanded his people to rise. They did so hesitantly.

Then Kasuf remembered his manners. He realized they must be thirsty after their journey. He bowed hastily, begging for forgiveness for neglecting this need and called to his daughter and her friends to come forth and offer water to their guests.

Sha'uri nodded to the girls beside her and they quickly removed the skins of water from their backs and poured them into baskets which they carried to the men. Sha'uri looked over each one surreptitiously as they approached. She ended up in front of the man with the circles and eyed him discreetly as he took the basket and drank. He smiled slightly at her and nodded.

He said something that sounded like a thanks and Sha'uri bowed, grateful that he had enjoyed the refreshment. The man surprised her by bowing as well. She took the basket back and retreated behind her brother. She placed a hand on his arm but he pushed her impatiently away, his gaze fixed on the man who had touched him.

Kasuf bowed and the man with the circles bowed as well and then suddenly reached into his clothing. Kasuf watched nervously, unsure of what proceedings these were. The man took out something long and strange looking. He removed the outer skin and held up the inner to his nose, smelling it with great exaggeration.

"You eat it?" Kasuf asked, and gestured to his mouth. The man nodded and pretended to take a bite before smiling and handing it to him.

Kasuf took it cautiously, sniffing it as well before hesitantly pushing it between his lips and sinking his teeth into the soft, brown skin. The insides crunched and suddenly his mouth was filled with a heavenly taste that felt warm and soft yet firm and crisp. The brown skin melted away and Kasuf's eyes widened.

"It's good! Very good!" he exclaimed and Skaara grinned. He nudged back Nabeh who had stepped forward to see what had captivated his chief.

"Very good?" the man with the circles repeated with a doubtful smile.

"Very good!" Kasuf said once more, turning to the others with a large smile.

"Very good," the man with the circles repeated again as if beginning to understand.

One of the others spoke and they said something among themselves. Kasuf, quick to remain in their good graces, hastened to invite them to his village.

"Come with me?" he asked, gesturing for them to follow him.

The men looked uncertain but when the man with the circles mimicked Kasuf's gesture, they became convinced and after discussing it amongst themselves, agreed to come. Kasuf was very grateful. He ordered for everyone to stop work and return to the village in order to honor the ambassadors from their Lord Ra. They all hastily gathered up their tools and began to make their way toward the village. Sha'uri placed herself not far from the man with the circles so that she could watch him without being too obvious.

Skaara and Nabeh and their friends walked closely behind the man with the circles. He was the one who carried the Eye of Ra so surely he had to be the ambassador. Skaara wondered what kind of leader he could be. He did not seem to be harsh and overbearing like Anubis was. In fact, he somewhat paled in comparison to the right-hand of Ra. He seemed weak and—

Skaara jumped slightly as the man sneezed loudly. Several times he sneezed and then drew something white out of his pocket in order to wipe his nose. Skaara watched him curiously. He always just used his cloak for such uses. To have another piece of cloth just for the purpose of wiping one's nose seemed very foreign to Skaara. He watched as the man stuffed it back into a fold in his clothing.

Nabeh gazed at the white cloth in wonder and could not help reaching out and snatching it from its place. The boys around him started laughing and pulling at the white cloth, all wanting to see it for themselves. Skaara noticed and frowned. This was not the way to treat honored guests! He grabbed at it but Nabeh pulled away, protesting.

Sha'uri noticed the struggle and giggled, she could not help it. She waited to see what the ambassador would do.

"Give it to me!" Skaara hissed, finally prying it away from Nabeh's fingers. He smoothed it out the best he could and tapped the shoulder of the man in front of him. When he turned, Skaara held out the cloth with a smile. The man looked puzzled but took it back anyway. Skaara continued to smile, hoping he had made a good impression. Nabeh pushed forward to get another look at the cloth but Skaara elbowed him back.

The man glanced over at Sha'uri and she quickly looked away, not wanting to be caught staring. The fact was the man intrigued her. The circles were unlike anything she had ever seen, and he seemed different than Lord Ra's other ambassadors. So far he had not issued any threats, nor complained about his lack of mastadge transportation. Why was he so different?

The Abydonians reached the top of one final sand dune before reaching the village. In actuality it was more like a city, with a high stone wall built all around it. There was only one gate and it was guarded only by a few sentries, for who else lived on Abydos besides the Abydonians? The city was called Nagada, and Sha'uri had lived there all her life.

They led the strangers inside the walls, Kasuf pushing and prodding the villagers out of the way, yet calling for them to come and see the messengers from Ra. When they reached the center of the city, Kasuf ordered for the Eye to be revealed. A large cloth was lifted over head and the gleaming circle of gold was exposed. Kasuf instantly prostrated himself before it, the other Abydonians following his example. The only ones who did not bow were the strangers. Instead the ambassador and the man who had touched Skaara spoke softly together.

The ambassador approached Kasuf and pointed to the large Eye symbol above them.

"Ra?" he questioned.

Before Kasuf could reply, a sentry atop of the wall spotted a large sandstorm gathering in the distance and heading toward Nagada. He hurried over the long horn set up for such occasions and blew hard into it, the loud sound resonating throughout the city. Kasuf straightened quickly, his eyes wide. Sha'uri latched on to Skaara's arm, as she always did when the horn blew, tugging him toward their dwelling as the rest of the Abydonians began to scatter to their houses to take cover.

Skaara resisted this time however, pulling away from his sister and turning toward the strangers. Kasuf lifted his hands and gestured toward those near the large doors of the city.

"Close the gates!" he shouted. They leapt to do his bidding, pushing the giant wooden doors shut.

It was then that everything went wrong. The strangers seemed to panic. They pushed their way toward the gate, pushing people out of the way in their haste. Tarrak and Mal'cu were the ones who had closed the doors. They tried to hold the strangers back, attempting to tell them that they would be safe. But the strangers would not listen. The man who had approached Skaara pulled out his weapon and began shooting at the Abydonians around them, knocking Tarrak over the head and grabbing Mal'cu by the throat. He seemed to be the warrior leader for the other two men holding weapons followed his movements and actions.

Realizing that someone could get hurt if the misunderstanding was not made clear, Skaara tore himself away from his sister's grasp and pushed his way toward the front where the strangers were. He held out his hands as he slowed his approach, making eye contact with the man who had touched him: the warrior.

"Na-ney, na-ney," he said softly, continuing forward slowly, cautiously. The warrior watched him closely. He nodded encouragingly and pointed up toward the sky. "Come," he said then, beckoning for the warrior to follow him up the wall to the top of the gate. "Come."

Sha'uri watched Skaara, marveling at his courage, or was it stupidity? She inhaled sharply and watched the proceedings closely, silently praying that the gods would spare her foolish little brother. Kasuf began to do the same, along with half the other Abydonians as they watched their favorite young man try to reason with the weapon wielding warriors.

The man looked at Skaara curiously and then slowly lowered his weapon, stepping forward to meet the boy. Skaara nodded encouragingly and beckoned again, making his way cautiously toward the stairway that would lead to the top of the gate.

"Come," he said softly. "Come."

The ambassador also tried to follow, but the warrior seemed to tell him to stay for he spoke sharply to the other man and the ambassador stopped following abruptly. Skaara tried his best not to be intimidated by the warrior following him, remembering well the feel of his hand grasping his and moving it up and down in that strange way. The warrior remained silent and did not try to communicate in anyway. The silence made Skaara somewhat nervous but he took several deep breaths to calm his pounding heart.

When they reached the top of the wall, Skaara pointed toward the building wall of sand heading their way.

"The sand, it comes!" he shouted over the noise of the wind to the warrior. He followed Skaara's pointed finger and then nodded to show he understood, before turning to look down at his men. He shouted something to them that made them release Tarrak and Mal'cu with sighs of relief. Skaara looked up at the warrior beside him and studied him closely. The man met his gaze for a moment before turning away and making his way down the stairs to the ground. After a moment's hesitation, Skaara followed.

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**This has to be the longest chapter I've ever written. :-P The reviewers of "Wishing on a Pebble" are really my inspiration for this fic, so thank you all very much! Please review and tell me what you think of it so far! :-D  
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	2. The Ambassador

**A/N: Sorry it's taken so long to get this chapter up. It was going to be longer and include the part with Skaara and O'Neill, but I figured you guys had waited long enough. So here's the next chapter already. Enjoy. :-P**

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**Chapter 2:**

**The Ambassador**

Kasuf decided that there would be a festival in the newcomers' honor. The moment the Abydonians began to start the preparations, Sha'uri grabbed Skaara's arm and dragged him away from his friends and into the area where several women were beginning the meal. She sat down next to a grinding stone, pulling him down next to her. He made a face of disgust and annoyance.

"This is women's work," he complained, glancing at the doorway through which the strangers were gathered. He wanted to learn more about them, to study them, ask them questions. Especially the warrior. There was something about him that drew Skaara to want to know more. But he could not do that if he was forced to make the meal.

"Don't help if you do not wish to," Sha'uri said flippantly. "I wanted to speak to you about something in private."

Skaara glanced around at the other women cooking. "This is private?" he said skeptically, being purposefully difficult in hopes she would grow exasperated with him and tell him to leave.

"Hush," Sha'uri said instead. "It is private enough. Besides, these women are my friends."

Skaara sighed, knowing now that there was no other way out of this. He crossed his legs and settled down, folding his hands and looking up at his sister with an expression of solemn expectancy.

"The man, with the circles in front of his eyes," she said softly, bending over the grinding stone as she began to prepare the grain. "Did you see him?"

Skaara huffed in impatience. "Everyone saw him, Sha'uri. He's the messenger from the gods."

"Exactly!" she whispered, her voice growing excited. "Don't you see, my brother? He is the one we've been waiting for. The one that _I_ have been waiting for. The wish, do you remember the wish I made on our pebble?"

Skaara nodded, now leaning forward with a flicker of interest in his eyes.

"I believe he is the man who will deliver me from Anubis; who will take me as his own wife. He shall! Father will see to it." Her cheeks flushed in excitement and anticipation, if not a slight amount of apprehension.

Skaara reached over and laid a hand on Sha'uri's shoulder. "I shall pray that it is so," he said, preferring the ambassador to any of Ra's royal guards. He glanced back at the door then and then up at Sha'uri, his expression shifting to one of pleading.

She laughed and shooed him away with her hands. "Go on," she said. "I have a meal to prepare." Skaara was up and gone before Sha'uri had turned back to the grinding stone. She shook her head at her brother's antics and hurried with the grain, wanting to make sure the messengers were satisfied.

Skaara hurried back to where a fired had been started. The messengers were seated around the fire along with Kasuf and several of his most trusted friends. Skaara chose a spot far enough away to not be intruding, yet close enough to see and hear what was going on. Nabeh and several of the other youths were there as well.

"Has anything happened?" Skaara asked, slightly out of breath from his run.

"Na-ney," Opitu replied and Nabeh shook his head. "But we have learned their names. The warrior is O'Neill." He nodded each man as he spoke. "The Ambassador is Dan'yell. The one with skin like Tu'ru is Brown. The one who held Mal'cu is Koh'all'ski."

Skaara nodded slowly, taking the information in impassively. He glanced surreptitiously at the one called O'Neill: the warrior. He licked his lips slowly and then turned away, unsure of what he would say to the man if he caught the boy staring. Nabeh nudged him and pointed to the Ambassador . . . to Dan'yell. The man was sniffing at a piece of flat bread, as if wondering if it was safe to eat. Skaara grinned slightly as the man finally put it into his mouth and chewed. He seemed satisfied that it was not going to kill him, and took another bite even as . . . Koh'all'ski spoke as if warning him.

Skaara sat up straighter and his mouth began to water as they brought out the cooked ambillio. He leaned forward and watched eagerly as it was placed in front of the Ambassador, waiting to see if he would enjoy the rare meat. Nabeh leaned forward too and almost fell of the ledge they were seated on. Skaara was quick to catch him but only waved away the other boy's apology. Ambassador Dan'yell looked unsure but reached into the ambillio and pulled out a piece of meat. He hesitantly put it in his nose and sniffed at it before putting it into his mouth, chewing reflectively.

Kasuf watched anxiously, hoping, praying that the Ambassador would enjoy the meal. Slowly Ambassador Dan'yell smiled and said something in his strange language. He turned to his comrades and repeated the words, before turning back to Kasuf and tapping his tongue lightly.

"Bawk-bawk-bawk-bawk," he said, tucking his hands underneath his armpits and flapping his elbows. "Bawk-bawk-bawk-bawk."

Kasuf looked at him in confusion, but Skaara and Nabeh could not help but laugh at the strange sight. He noticed that the Warrior was chuckling as well. Ambassador Dan'yell was making a fool of himself, yet did not seem to mind very much and after he stopped he held up the piece of meat again and repeated his earlier words. Kasuf looked unsure, but finally concluded that the Ambassador had enjoyed the meat, despite his strange actions and smiled in relief.

The strangers began talking amongst themselves and as they did, Sha'uri chose that moment to step out of the crowd and approach her father. Leaning forward, she whispered quietly into his ear.

"Father," she said softly, respectfully. "The Ambassador, do you think . . ." she trailed off when she saw the Ambassador approach them but Kasuf had already known what she was going to ask and he nodded with a small smile. She straightened, her face burning with excitement and fearful anticipation. Her heart felt as though it was thudding out of her chest. She watched then, as the Ambassador knelt in front of her father.

Kasuf quickly lifted his bowl of food to the Ambassador, wondering if the man was hungry. But the man only shook his head and pushed the food away, pulling out the amulet he wore. As soon as Kasuf's old eyes fell upon the golden necklace, the golden Eye of Ra, he swiftly bowed his head in reverence. For some unknown reason, the Ambassador reached over and lifted Kasuf's head up.

"No, no," he said and Sha'uri wondered if that was the man's word for 'na-ney."

He put his finger to the ground and began drawing the Eye of Ra in the sand. Sha'uri's eyes grew wide with horror and she quickly clasped her hands together. Kasuf hastily shook his head and passed his foot over the half-finished drawing, obliterating it from the ground.

"Na-ney, na-ney," he said, and then stood quickly, raising his arms for the people to see.

"Forget what you have seen here!" he told them, and then swiftly turned to Sha'uri. "Go now and prepare yourself," he told her in a quiet voice. She turned and hurried to obey, her heart beginning to race once more. She was almost to the house when the group of ladies came by, dragging the Ambassador along with them. She glanced at him nervously and saw he looked rather confused. She wondered if they did not have such customs where he came from.

Turning quickly, she hastened into the house in order to prepare herself for her new husband. Looking frantically over her meager possessions, she agonized over what to wear. Scrambling through her belongings, she tore off her head covering and let her curls fly free. She growled in frustration as they flew wildly around her flushed cheeks. Her breathing was erratic and she knew she had to calm herself if she was ever going to do this correctly. Sitting back on her heels, she took several deep breaths, closing her eyes and slowly running her fingers through her hair in order to tame the wild locks.

She heard a noise behind her and turned swiftly, overly anxious and nervous. She sighed with relief when she saw that it was only Skaara. He was looking at her with a quizzical expression.

"Sha'uri?" he asked. "What are you doing?" His dark eyes traveled over the mess she had made in the room.

"I'm trying to locate something to wear," she told him and then looked up at him pleadingly from her spot in the middle of the disarrayed room. "Will you help me?" she asked, not knowing who else to ask in such a short time.

Instantly a look of fear and horror crossed over Skaara's young face. Quickly shaking his head, he backed out of the room.

"Na-ney, na-ney," he said quickly, before turning and running away as fast as he could. Sha'uri huffed in annoyance and frustration and collapsed among the strewn about clothing.

"The gods give me strength," she murmured and looked over her clothing once more. A red garment leaped out at her and she smiled slightly. It had belonged to her mother. She had worn it on her wedding night. How appropriate it would be for Sha'uri to do the same. Lifting it slowly from the pile, she held it against her body and looked down. It seemed as though it would fit nicely. Glancing around for the veil that would complete the ensemble, she snatched it off the ground and quickly changed.

Draping the veil over her face, she took a deep breath and then left the building, heading for the guest quarters where the Ambassador was waiting. She listened to the sound of the women cleaning him and could not help but giggle at his sounds of protest. Then they left. Taking a deep breath and shutting her eyes briefly, she pushed back the cloth that covered the doorway and stepped hesitantly inside. He glanced briefly up at her and then down to his feet where he was concentrating on putting something on them.

He waved at her dismissively, saying something she did not understand but what sounded like a dismissal even as she kept moving toward him. She paused, then slowly dropped the veil so that he could look upon his new wife. He blinked at her, and then a flash of recognition lighted his face. He seemed surprised and confused to see her, but not upset. She took that as a good sign as she held her breath and slowly let the top of her garment slip off her shoulders.

The air felt unnatural on her newly bared skin, as she had not shown herself to anyone like this before. She waited patiently, and somewhat nervously, for him to respond. For a moment he did not do anything but look at her. Then suddenly he leapt up as if he had been burned and hurried over to her, repeating that strange word "no" over and over as he reached over and pulled the sleeves of the clothing over her shoulders once more. Sha'uri gasped and looked up at him through wounded eyes.

She did not understand. She thought he wanted her . . . what had she done wrong? Tears started gathering in her eyes as he steered her away toward the entryway, even though his voice was soft and gentle as he spoke to her. He pushed away the cloth but then suddenly stopped short. Sha'uri peeked over his shoulder and her eyes widened when she saw her father. Kasuf looked between her and the Ambassador in horror.

"What is wrong?" he asked her. She glanced at the Ambassador as he looked down at her. She quickly looked away to her father.

"He does not want me," she told him, wondering what his reaction would be. Kasuf gasped in greater horror and flung himself down on his knees before the Ambassador, pleading with him to take his daughter. They would be shamed if he did not, and Sha'uri's fate would be much worse than that of a simple Abydonian slave. She would become Anubis's concubine.

A light seemed to dawn on the Ambassador as he looked between Sha'uri and her father. He suddenly began speaking to Kasuf quickly in a reassuring voice. He smiled slightly and wrapped his arm around Sha'uri's shoulders, startling her. She stared at him questioningly even as Kasuf sighed in relief. The Ambassador's smile faded slightly and his voice was somewhat strained as he finally dropped the door flap.

He led her back to the bed and gestured for her to sit. She did so cautiously. He knelt in front of her. Sha'uri found she could only look at him for a moment before a wave of uncharacteristic shyness fell over her and she turned her gaze away. He pointed to himself.

"Uh, Dan'yell," he said softly.

Sha'uri looked at him quizzically and slowly pointed to herself.

"Dan'yell," she repeated, wondering if that was some strange word to describe "wife" in his language.

He laughed nervously and shook his head. "No, uh," he pointed more directly to himself, "Dan'yell. Heh. I'm Dan'yell."

Realization dawned on Sha'uri and she smiled slightly, pointing herself.

"Sha'uri," she introduced.

"Sha'uri," Dan'yell said slowly, and she liked the way her name rolled off his tongue. Her smile widened slightly. He began to say something else, stumbling over his words. Finally he simply reached down and began drawing in the sand at their feet. Sha'uri instantly looked away, unsure of what to do in the now awkward situation. He soon realized she was not paying attention and stopped, speaking to her gently, reassuringly.

She glanced at the thing he drew as he stood and walked away, sighing in disappointment. Suddenly she did a double-take. She had seen that symbol before! Slowly reaching down, she brushed away the extra markings and focused on the three lines he had drawn, two reaching upwards to meet at a point while the other connected the two at the bottom. Hesitantly she drew another line with her finger and then the small unbroken line at the top.

Suddenly Ambassador Dan'yell was at her side again, looking at her expectantly.

"Earth?" he asked a strange word she did not understand. Instantly fear gripped her. Was he going to turn her in for knowing the forbidden symbols? She retreated quickly, watching him with frightened eyes.

However Dan'yell seemed excited. He asked her something and then pointed to the symbol, before pointing to his eye, as if asking if she had seen it before. Sha'uri nodded, pointing the symbol, and then pointing to her eye, wondering what he was asking her. He held out his hand to her and said something else, looking at her expectantly.

A jolt of shock ran through her as she realized he wanted her to show him where she had seen the symbol. Hesitantly she put her hand into his, and he pulled her up to her feet. He led her outside and she glanced apprehensively to where her father was still speaking with some of the city elders. An icy fist of fear formed in her stomach and she felt her hand grow sweaty in Dan'yell's. However he did not pull away and she felt her confidence grow as she slowly walked quicker to move ahead of him. Soon she was the one leading him deeper into the city to where she had first seen the forbidden symbols.

* * *

**So that's it for now. The next chapter will be entitled "The Warrior" and focus more on Skaara and O'Neill. Please review and tell me what you think of this chapter! :-)  
**


	3. Author's Note

Since I am participating in NaNoWriMo this year (that stands for National Novel Writing Month) I'm afraid updates on all my stories will be rather slow in coming. I really will try to get some chapters up but trying to write 50,000 words in one month requires a lot of time. Don't worry though; as soon as November's over I'll be back with more updates much more frequently. Thank you all for being so patient with me and for being so faithful in your reviews! ::Gives out virtual cookies as a thanks::

Oh and Happy Halloween and (Early) Thanksgiving!

Ryan Brooklyn


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